Smash the ROTC ‘Roadblock.’

This Inside Higher Ed article (H/T: Instapundit) on Columbia’s (and the rest of the Ivy League’s) contempt for the military does its readers a grave disservice: it adamantly refuses to even acknowledge that colleges that ban ROTC from campus are ineligible for federal funding. This is an annoying, yet ultimately unsurprising omission, given that the only way that anybody can even have a ‘debate’ on this subject is by ignoring the clear will of the American electorate, which is currently involuntarily subsidizing the ‘right’ of academics to remain anti-military bigots. But there is no debate. There is no negotiation. There is merely the law, and whether it is being complied with.

(a) Denial of Funds for Preventing ROTC Access to Campus. – No funds described in subsection (d)(1) may be provided by contract or by grant to an institution of higher education (including any subelement of such institution) if the Secretary of Defense determines that that institution (or any subelement of that institution) has a policy or practice (regardless of when implemented) that either prohibits, or in effect prevents –

(1) the Secretary of a military department from maintaining, establishing, or operating a unit of the Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps (in accordance with section 654 of this title and other applicable Federal laws) at that institution (or any subelement of that institution); or

(2) a student at that institution (or any subelement of that institution) from enrolling in a unit of the Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps at another institution of higher education.

It doesn’t apply to financial aid – although it blessed well should – and exceptions are made for schools that are explicitly and historically pacifist; but this is the law, and the fact that it has not been enforced up until now is not actually a valid reason for continuing not to enforce it. I want to know why my tax money is being spent to support research facilities that hate the military. Particularly since it’s now clear that the piously-offered reason for their hatred (gays not being allowed to serve openly in the military) was a flat-out, cynical lie. DADT is over. Get ROTC back on campus.